1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates an image forming apparatus, a customization control method and a recording medium for customizing UI (User Interface) screens.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, on a UI screen of a multifunctional machine, items customizable by a user and user screens into which customization is reflected can be dynamically changed according to user's operation environments. For example, a technique is known in which customization setting on a user having change right or on a user of a reflection target of a change is possible for each of parameters that form UI components included in a UI screen.
Patent document 1 (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2007-323234) discloses an information processing apparatus that can control customizable items or users to whom customization is reflected on a UI screen for each user, according to operation environments of the users. The patent document 1 discloses a configuration for managing, as meta information, users having change right for parameters or users of reflection targets of customization, so as to dynamically change settings.
In the conventional technique, users who can perform customization and users of reflection targets of the customization can be set for each parameter of UI components. However, in the conventional technique, since customization is performed for one screen, the control becomes very complicated when considering management of plural users.
That is, in the conventional technique, for a UI screen of a customization target, customization setting states are managed for each of individual parameters, in which customization setting states indicate, for example, who can currently change which parameters, and which parameter affects which screen. Thus, in the conventional technique, there is a problem in that it is difficult to ascertain all customization states, so that management of customization settings becomes complicated.
On the other hand, multifunctionality of multifunctional machines is developing. Thus, multifunctional machines are provided with applications added by third vendors using a software development kit (to be referred to as SDK) and functions for browsing Web pages and the like, in addition to applications (copy, scanner, FAX, printer) that are normally provided. Also, the multifunctional machine is provided with a macro function that can call setting values (for example, A4 size, black and white, aggregation, staple) set beforehand for each application (copy application, for example). There is a problem in that, for the multifunctional machine having various functions, the number of times of operations that should be performed by a user increases when using later-added applications and macro functions.